


Dark Corners

by AgelessLight



Series: Soul Searching [2]
Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Anatoly Ranskahov Lives, BAMF Karen Page, Daredevil Season One: Not Compliant, F/M, Freeform, Gen, Not Canon Compliant, Ranskahov Brothers deserve love, Soul Bond: First Touch, Soulmates, Vladimir Ranskahov Lives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 06:11:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8653798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgelessLight/pseuds/AgelessLight
Summary: Apparently, out of everyone in the entire world, Vladimir Ranskahov, was her perfect compliment. They were matched by some higher power, a perfect pair. What the fuck does that say about her?





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is the Second Installment in my soulmate series. Each fic is entirely independent and unrelated to the other works in the series. This installment is in its own complete universe. This fic starts during Daredevil's Season one Episode 12, "The Path of The Righteous." However, the timeline has been pushed back with the crime circle. The feud/altercation with Fisk and the Ranskahovs never happened, yet, and all five factions are still working together and operating within Hell's Kitchen.

The cold was what woke her up. She was disoriented, extremely dizzy, and in danger vomiting.  Her head pounded, and it was difficult for her to focus beyond what she was feeling. She had never been colder in her life and wondered if she had fallen asleep outside.   _Was nausea and dizziness a symptom of hypothermia,_ she wondered while she tried to get her limbs to respond and off the frozen ground.

Except she wasn’t on the ground and could barely move. Trying to move her arms and feet with little success as something hindered her. Panic overwhelmed her, worsening her headache. She almost blacked out again.  The feeling of something hard had pressed against her face and she jerked back. A voice spoke to her and she tried focusing on that and where she was. Pushing down the bile that rose in her throat and the pain in her head, she opened her eyes.

It came back to her in a rush and she winced. She had been abducted just as she was walking into her apartment building. Though she came from a small town in Vermont, she was quick on her feet and functioned well in a crisis. She demonstrated this a few times since moving to Hell’s kitchen. _Just Breathe_ , she repeated it like a mantra and told herself that she had to just calm down and she could get out of this. A table was in front of her and that was what she had been slumped over on.

 

She was in a building that was under construction. Possibly a warehouse or a closed down restaurant. Which explained the cold, as parts of the building was exposed to the elements and it was early February.  A male voice spoke from behind her. A knee-jerk reaction occurred and she tried to move, but could not control her limbs and almost fell over. The man put his hands on her and saved her from face planting into the hard cement. He then proceeded to ensure she was sitting right in her chair. When he crossed into her line of sight and sat down, she recognized him. The man in the suit across from her was familiar, he had been at her work recently.  He greeted her and even checked on her condition, which scared her. Tears fell down her face that she couldn’t control.

Then he began to speak and horror consumed her. He spoke of how her choices brought her to this moment. As if he had no choice in scaring or abducting her. How one’s family, specifically Fisk’s mother was scared and did not belong in the filth that suffocated the city. She learned that he hadn’t told Fisk about her visiting his mother. The chance of her remembering another time even if -she had left an impression- was slim.

 

The more he talked the more alert and oriented she became. As if she was sobering up from a cold shower.  Instincts; survival instincts, came to life.   _What we do, to survive, does not make us who we are,_ she told herself. _It does not define me._

 

If she did not do as he asked, if she wasn’t convincing enough, then people died. _Ben, Matt, and oh God, Foggy._

Ben once told her that, “we have to be smart. Smarter than they are.” She had taken that to heart. Letting herself appear weak and over her head. In the past, before she became close to Matt, when he was still just her lawyer and not her friend, she lied to him. Told him that she just wasn’t that smart. But she was. It was one of the reasons why her family had not worried about her overly much when she stated she was going to move alone to New York City. The night before she left home, her best friend had laughed and jokingly stated,

“I am not sure how New York will survive Karen Page.” She drew on that strength, on those beliefs.

Since arriving, she had lied to several people. Pandering to egos, so she could be underestimated.  Just like she was doing now to this arrogant man. Time would give her an opportunity with him. _Maybe_. If she had luck or God on her side, then she would have an opportunity. Or would create one. Escape was her immediate concern, but based upon the fact that she had been abducted, and was not having a discussion over coffee, informed her how dire her situation was. Continued safety was her next concern.

 

It was working. Pretending increased lethargy, and letting her _very real_ fear show. Careful, she tried to build a connection with him, make him see her as a person, rather than just dust that needed to be swept under the rug. She kept him talking, got him to compliment her, even got him to laugh once. That plan did not appear to be working but she had to use what she could. Patiently, she waited.

Gave him control of the situation. Let him talk. If fear ruled her then she died. Strangling him by his ugly tie was also a thought, but she could not give into anger either. If anger ruled her then she died.

This shadow king was kindly offering her a job. So, he said, but it was a threat. A poorly veiled threat. She had to convince those closest to her that she had been wrong. It was all a mistake. That Wilson Fisk, was not a monstrous animal, and she was to be the mouthpiece for him. Influence and persuade others to a new way of thinking, that the city needed him.

Since they had met before she couldn’t play too innocent. She showed some bite and asked what would happen if she said no. Without changing his expression, the bespectacled man informed her that if she refused his job offer, then everyone she cared about would die, and then her.

Or, as he taunted her, another option presented itself. He brought up the Russians and how his employer had dealings with the Russian Mob. While the entire criminal world lived in the shadows, he and apparently, Fisk, thought the Russians were unsavory characters. Uncouth. They made their money running a human trafficking ring, specializing in selling girls and young women.

 

Women just like her.

 

With her reddish blonde hair, he was sure, she would fetch a high price. Should she refuse his offer, not only would her loved ones be killed, but then she could also be handed over to the Russians. They would decide when and how she would die. Sitting in front of her he mocked her and how powerless she was. While he had all the power, and was so troubled on which fate for her to choose.

Now she was cold for a different reason. _She had to get out of this._ Her chance was when the suit placed his weapon down on the table and did not keep his attention focused on it. It drew her attention but she did not focus on it. Did not want to draw attention to the fact that she was looking at a possible opportunity. The hand gun was not next to him, but in front of him. Between the two of them; within her reach.  Under the table she flexed her hands and adjusted her footing. She made sure to keep his attention. When his phone rang, she knew it was time to move.

When she grabbed the gun, he did not even try to stop her. Just kept on speaking in a condescending tone, like she was child.  

“Do you really think I would put a loaded gun on the table where you could reach it?” Was his scathing question to her. Obviously, he had to play it safe otherwise it would have alerted her that the gun was loaded and he risked being shot. Joke was on him, she firmly believed it was fully loaded and she clicked the safety off. Pointed it at a defenseless man. He stayed loyal to his boss even then.

 

It was clear. The only way she was leaving the building safely, was if he never did. If it jammed she could throw it at him as a diversion before throwing herself at him. _What we do to survive does not make us who we are,_ she repeated to herself.

 

“I don’t know.” She cocked the gun, “Do you really think this the first time I’ve shot someone.” Her reply was cold and he merely smirked at her. She pulled the trigger and at first they were both surprised. She watched his face finally react and then slowly followed up the first shot with several more, to ensure her enemy was dead. Seconds passed and she sat there trying to process what she had done.

It was when his phone started to ring again that caused her body to react. To survive. She had to leave, right now. Trying to control herself from going into shock was hard. Methodically, she covered her tracks, and was up the stairs and heading to the door, when it opened. An accented voice called out but she guessed it was for the man she just shot. Unfortunately, she could not stop her momentum. As she rounded the corner and into the hallway, it drew the other man's attention and he noticed her.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is unbeta-ed. Please contact me if you are interested in being my beta! I would love for someone else to go over my work before I post it. Also my disclaimer: I do not own anything of the Daredevil or Marvel Universe. Nor do I do any of this for profit.
> 
> I have not been finding the type of fics I want to read so I decided to write them! I could not find any other Karen/Vladimir fics at all. So maybe it's just me with this secret desire to see them paired? I may or may not continue this depending on the response. Your comments fuel my passion for writing, so please leave me a review with your thoughts, advice, and comments.
> 
> Thank you for your time,
> 
> Ageless Light


End file.
